A poem to lift your mood
It was World Poetry Day recently and YourLifeChoices is delighted to break from standard (coronavirus reporting) service to help celebrate the occasion.
Poet Richard Alexander, from Lismore in New South Wales, sent us a poem, The Maverick and the Man, which we really enjoyed. Richard says: “The poem is from a book, Consequences (available for purchase via Booktopia), which I released last year and launched here in Lismore.
“I grew up at Maroubra in Sydney but love the country and its people. In this poem, I recalled an older couple who were very much in love. She passed away before him and I know he was devastated. From those thoughts, the poem emerged. I envisaged that he would have wanted her buried on the property so he could continue to take care her.”
The Maverick and the Man
The old man walked across the veranda,
sat on his favourite chair
and picked up his book.
A photo fell
from the well-read volume;
he looked at it and cried.
The virgin snow fell
covering the mountain top citadel
and dusting the ground around him.
Chickens pecked around the yard
and the old heeler went into the house
to sleep beside the fire.
The old man asked the face in the photo,
“Why did you leave us alone?
We miss you.”
But, time won’t heal his wounds;
her face was still there
and he could still hear her voice.
He looked across the fences
to the top paddock;
and to the patch beyond.
He called the heeler to join him,
and they walked the paddocks,
their hair white with snow.
“Jes you ‘n’ me fella,
whadya reckon?
We gunna be OK, aren’t we?”
The maverick looked up through mournful eyes
and the farmer said,
“Yeah I hope so too.”
They closed the gate after they entered;
and raked the ground over where she lay,
now at peace with God.
He knelt down,
held the dog close to him,
“Yeah, mate, I hope so too.”
Do you have a poem to share for World Poetry Day?
From Consequences © Richard Alexander, Australia, 2019.
POEM: Be Thankful
Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don’t know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you’re tired and weary,
because it means you’ve made a difference.
It’s easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.
~Author Unknown